Sheet-folding machine



May 12, 1925.

E. D. 'RADER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE l0 sheets-sheet 1 Filed 001:. 19,1922 k Q uwtwmfi A Arm/Mrs May 12, 1925.

E. b, RADER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE a M m w U W m QM wmlisss 6 May 12,1925.

E. D. RADER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19. 1922 1.0 Sheets-Sheet 5WITNESSES ATTORNEYS E. D. RADER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19. 1

May 12,

Filed Oct. 19. 1922 l0 sheets-sheet e iallm EIVTOR 4 TTORNEYS May 12,1925. i 537 693 E. D. RADER S HEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19. 19221D Shts -Sht v WITNESSES May 12', 1925. 1,537,693

. E. D. munr-nav SHEET FOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19. 9 10 Sheets-Shi 8E. D. RADER SHEET FOLDING MACHINE 'May 12 Filed Oct. 19. 1922 10Sheets-Sheet 9 229 V tzzf WITNESSES Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EAR-L D. RADEB! F BEDFQB'D TOWNSHIP, WESTGHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK, AS-

SIGNOB TO DEXTER FOLDER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

SHEET-FOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed October 19, 1922.

To all whom a may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL 1). Hanna, a citizen of the United States,residing in the township of Bedford, county of VVestchester,

5 and State of New York, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements in Sheet-Folding Machines, of which the following isa specification.

The object of the present invention is to w improve the construction ofsheet folding machinery to adapt it for a greater range and volume ofwork; and to this end the invention contemplates the construction ofcertain feeding and gauging mechanisms of a folding machine in separableunits or sections which can be independently adjusted to act separatelyupon two simultaneously fed sheets, and which can be coupled to getherto perform their work upon sing-1y fed sheets as in the ordinary foldingmachines now in general use. With the improved folding machine having,for instance, the timed feeding-in drop rollers, the slowdowns andregistry gauges constructed in sections or units, it is possible to soadjust the separated units of these controlling parts that two foldingjobs can be performed simultaneously. In this double folding operation,the respective sections of the feeding- :;o in, slow-down and gaugingmechanisms are independently adjusted to handle the particular sizes ofsheets to be operated upon, the machine being capable of handling twosets of sheets of equal or different sizes aggre gating the maximumdimensions for which the machine has been designed. In operat ing upontwo sets of sheets simultaneously, it will be understood that therespective elements of the mechanisms referred to will actindependentlyfor feeding-in and registering the sheets with reference to the foldingmachine proper, it being further understood that the folding blades androllers may be of the same structure as commonly employed, each foldingoperation being simultaneously performed upon two independently fed andgauged sheets, whereas under former practices said folding mechanismacted only upon single sheets. hen simultaneously op crating upon twojobs in which the charac- Serial No. 595,590.

ter of the paper stock differs greatly it is desirable to also employdivided first fold knife and folding bars, in which the units orsections of the knife and bars can be independently adjusted with regardto the char acter of the stock operated upon.

This improved folding machine with divided folding and sheet controllingmechanisms is also capable of acting upon single sheets by coupling upthe divided mechanisms and operating the machine in the well knownmanner. In addition to the capacity of the machine for performing thesame character of work at the same speed as similar types of foldingmachines now in common use, the improved machine is capable ofperforming two distinct jobs at the same time whether upon sheets ofequal sizes or upon large and small sheets, or upon sheets of differentgrades and character of stock.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, it will first bedescribed with reference to the accompanying draw-ingsand afterwardsmore particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a double-16 folding machine illustratingcertain embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 1 is. a detail vertical sectionalv view taken on the line 11 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a similar view taken on the line 1"-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with parts broken away, thesection line,22 of Fig. 1 indicating the omitted parts.

Figs. 3 and 3- illustrate together thevertical longitudinal sectionalview of the improved machine taken on the section line 3, a of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail rear elevation of parts of the second and third foldmechanisms.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional views taken respectively upon thesection lines 55 and 66 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 7 and 7 are together a vertical transverse sectional view of theimproved machine taken on the-section line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rear portion of the improved machineillustrating particularly the sectional first fold gauge united to actas a single gauge when the machine is adjusted for operating upon singlesheets.

Fig. 9 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view of one-of the adjustablesecond fold mechanisms, said view being taken upon the section line 99of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of parts of the first fold gaugetaken on the line 101O of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 8showing particularly the third fold guage and divided header-upmechanisms.

Figs. 12, '13 and 15 are similar views showing different adjustedpositions of certain parts of the same mechanisms.

Fig. 14: is a plan view of the third fold guage and header-upmechanisms.

Fig. 1 1 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line fl -14:of Fig. 141.

Fig. 16 is a'detail sectional View taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 17 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 1717 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 18 is a detail sectional view taken on line 18-18 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 19 is a detail plan View of part of the operating mechanism of thecoupled side registers of the first fold mechanisms.

Fig. 20 is a detail partial plan view of the improved machine showingsectional first fold knife and folding bar.

Fig. 21 is an enlarged elevation of the sectional folding knife.

Fig. 22 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 23 is an enlarged'detail plan view of the sectional folding bars. a

The present invention may be applied to any of the well known forms ofdouble or quadruple folding machines, which are designed to operate uponlarge sheets that are cut into two or four parts, then passed to thesucceeding folding mechanisms for imparting the desired number of foldsto the parts of the original sheet.

The drawings illustrate the specific application of the invention to awell known double-16 folding machine having first, second and thirdfolding mechanisms and the necessary feeding, slow-down and guagingmechanisms that cooperate therewith. In the detailed description of theinvention emphasis will be laid upon the'construction and operation ofthe improved parts of the machine and only general reference will bemade to those parts of the folding machine which have not been changed.

1 and 2 are the first fold rollers and 3 is the first fold knife carriedupon rock arms 4, mounted upon rock shaft 5 operated by rock. arm 6acted upon by cam 7 upon shaft 8.

As usual with this type of folding machine, the successive sheets arecarried into the machine upon suitable conveyor tapes, of which thefeeding-in tapes only are indi cated at 10 leading from the drop rollermechanism to the first fold mechanism.

In place of the usual timed drop roller mechanism for feeding successivesheets intothe machine, this feeding-in mechanism has been reconstructedinto two independent pairs or sets of drop rollers'which cooperate withthe under feeding-in tape roller. In this reconstructed drop rollermechanism, the drop roller rock shaft 15 is turned down to a reduce-ddiameter 15 for one-half of its length as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 1 and shown clearly in section in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings.Mounted upon the reduced portion 15 of said rock shaft is a tubularshaft 15" of the same external diameter as the main shaft section 15,shaft sections 15 and 15 being suitably journaled in the side frames ofthe fol-ding machine and theshaft 15 projecting beyond its side frame toreceive a rock arm 16 operated by a cam (not shown) upon the cam shaft8.

Projecting from the main shaft section 15 are the arms 20 in the forwardends of which are freely journaled the drop roller shaft 21 carrying apair of rubber tread rollers 22 acting above the main feed-in taperoller 30. The arms 20 are adjustably but rigidly secured upon shaft 15by set screws indicated at 20. Projecting from the tubular shaft section15 are the arms 23 in the forward ends of which is freely journaled thedrop roller shaft 24, carrying the rubber tread drop rollers 25 whichoperate above the feed-in tape roller 30. The arms 23 are rigidlysecured to the tubular shaft section 15 by means of set screws 23*. Pin26 projects transversely through the reduced portion 15 of the compositeshaft into the registering radial sockets or recesses 27, 28formedrespectively in tubular shaft section 15 and the hub of the innerarm 23, this arrangement permitting a limited relative movement betweenshaft sections 15 and 15 in the rocking of the composite shaft by thecam. To accurately determine the amount of this relative movement anadjusting screw 29 having lock nut 29 is threaded through the hub of theinner arm 23 into the socket 28 in position to engage the pin 26 asshown particularly in Fig. 5 of the drawings. By this adjustment the twosets of drop rollers 22 and 25 can be thrown into and out of actioneither successively or simultaneously, depending upon whether themachine is operating upon single large sheets or two simultaneously fedsheets.

To accurately couple the two shaft sections 15, 15 when all of the droprollers are to operate simultaneously upon singly fed large sheets, itis preferred to mount a removable taper pin 15 in registering openingsdrilled radially through reduced shaft section 15 and tubular shaftsection 15 as shown in Fig. 1*.

40 is a slow-down rock shaft having onehalf reduced in diameter asindicated at 40 to receive a tubular shaft section 40 the shafts 40 and40 being suitably journaled in the machine side frames and each portionbeing independently engaged by a spring device 45 or 46, which tends tothrow the shaft sections rearwardly in their bearings. The shaft 40carries the sheet engaging slow-down members 42 of any suitableconstruction, while the tubular shaft section 40 carries the slow-downmembers 43. The reduced shaft portion 40 and tubular shaft member 4Oproject beyond the machine frame at one side and are providedrespectively with rock arms 45', 46, each of which is pivoted to apitman 47 or 48 carrying an anti-friction roller 49 operating upon theperiphery of a cam 50 or 51. The cams 50 and 51 are keyed to a shortshaft 55 suitably journaled in the machine side frame and driven by atrain of gears (not shown) from the main power shaft. By properlyadjusting the sheet engaging slow-clown members and 43 upon theirrespective shaft sections 40 and 40 the action of these members uponeither the single large sheets or upon the simultaneously fed side byside smaller sheets can be determined to a nicety, so that the slow-downaction will be proper for the particular work performed. It will beclear that wi h the independent operation of the slow-down shaftsections, each section or unit of the slow-down members can beindependently adjusted for the work desired.

A taper pin 40 may be mounted in registering openings through reducedshaft portion 40 and tubular shaft section 40 as shown in Fig. 1 topositively couple the shaft sections and cause all of the slowdowns toact simultaneously upon single large sheets, in which case the coupledsectional shaft-s 40, 40 will be operated by only one of the cams 50 or51, while the other is permitted to run idly by loosening the rock arm45 or 46 upon its shaft section.

In place of the usual adjustable one-piece end gauge for the first foldmechanism, the present invention contemplates employing a two-part gaugein which the two parts can be independently adjustably positioned toregister two different sized sheets at the same time, and which can alsobe coupled to act as a single gauge.

and are the two first fold gauge units or sections, each one of which isadj ustably mounted upon horizontal screws 61, 62. These screws arejournaled at 66 in a transverse frame bar 67 and carry upon their rearends beveled gears 68, which are in constant mesh with similar gears 69keyed to the transverse sectional shaft 70 journaled in the side framesof the machine and having at the opposite ends the adjusting cranks 71.The sections of shaft 70 are centrally joined by a coupling 7 5 by whichthe shaft sections can be caused to rotate as a single shaft, or byloosening the coupling can be arranged to rotate as two independentadjusting shafts.

The gauge units 60, 65 can be joined into a single gauge plate, as shownin Fig. 8 of the drawings, by means of a coupling plate 68 clampedto theadjacent inner ends of gauge sections 60, 65 by T-screws 64. (See Fig.10.) hen the sections of the gauge plate are coupled as describechtheinner adjusting screws 62 are removed by unscrewing the screws 72 fromcouplings 73 and then detaching the nut yokes 74 from units 60 and 65.These nut yokes can be readily taken off by removing the screws thatdetachably fasten them to the plate sections 60, 65. lVith these innerscrew members removed the shaft sections 70 are coupled together bycoupling 75, as shown in Fig. 8, when the gauge can be properly adjustedwith reference to the first fold mechanism to receive large sheets inthe same manner as the ordinary first fold mechanism of this type offolding machine. The sectional first fold gauge is shown with thesections separated and adjusted to two distinct positions for sheets ofdifferent sizes in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which case the coupling 75 is loose so that each gauge section 60 and 65 can be independentlyadjusted by its controlling shaft 70.

In the ordinary operation of the folding machine, the sheets'are passedinto position above the first fold rollers and slowed down by theslow-down devices referred to as the sheets are arrested by the firstfold gauge. In the improved machine in which provision is made forfeeding two sheets at once side by side, it is necessary to provide sideregistering gauges at both sides of the folder so that both of the twosheets can be side registered at the same time. Provision is made in theimproved machine for this double registering action by arranging twoside registering gauges of any suitable construction as shown at 80 and85. These gauges are adjustably mounted upon transversely arrangedreciprocating bars 81, 82, which operate in guides 83 upon the machineside frames and a centrally supported guide 84. The adjacent inner endsof thereciprocating bars 81, 82 are cut away and formed into inwardlypresented rack bars 86, 87, which are in constant mesh with a pinion 88freely journaled upon guide 84, so that movement applied to either ofthe bars 81, 82 will cause a movement in the opposite direction in theother bar.

A link 90 pivoted to the outer end of reciprocating bar 82 connects saidbar with the rear end of a lever 91 pivotally mounted at 92 and carryingat its forward end an anti-friction roller 93, which operates upon aface cam 94: keyed to the short shaft 55 above referred to. The actionof the cam 94: causes the side registering gauges 80, to besimultaneously moved inwardly and outwardly at the opposite edges of theplane of feed of sheets. In the particular hammer type of sideregistering gauges illustrated, it is necessary to open and close thegrippers for the reception and gripping of the edges of the sheets to beregistered. The particular structure of the side registering gripper isimmaterial to the scope of the present invention, but for the purpose ofillustration, the hammer type of gripper is shown with an operating yoke85 projecting upwardly from the movable gripper member or hammer and adownwardly presented operating blade adjustably mounted upon transverserock shaft 101 journaled in suitable bearings 102. One of these blades100 is provided for each of the side registering grippers, the blade ineach case resting be tween the two arms of the yoke 85. A rock arm 103fixed to one end of the rock shaft 101 is connected through pitman 101with a lever 105 pivoted upon the machine frame at 106 and provided withan antifriction roller 107 operating upon the cam 108 keyed tothe shaft55. A spring de vice 110 engages the lever 105 for holding it inoperative relation to its actuating cam.

From the described structure of the side registering gauges, it will beunderstood that as the gauges are moved inwardly into engagement withthe side edges of the sheets the grippers will be opened to receive thesheets and as they are moved outwardly the grippers will be closed togrip the sheets and move them into registered position. hen the machineis operating upon single large sheets one of the side registeringdevices is thrown out of action, so that the large sheets will be actedupon by only one.

By the mechanism thus far described, the successive sheets whether inpairs or singly are properly positioned above the first fold barsbeneath which are arranged the first fold rollers l and 2. By the actionof the folding knife 3 above referred to, the single large sheets or thetwo smaller sheets are folded through the bars 115 and rollers 1 and 2and by a suitable arrangement of tapes, common in the art, are carriedrearwardly in a horizontal plane above the second fold roller mechanismwhich will presently be described. It will be understood that in thecase of folding single large sheets, the sheet is cut in two by theusual circular slitter operating in conjunction with the first foldmechanism, so that two once folded sheets are presented above the twosecond fold mechanisms. When two sheets are simultaneously passedthrough the first fold mechanism, the two once folded sheets are in likemanner fed into 0- sition above the two second fold mecianisms.

Each part of the second fold mechanism is mounted upon frame bars -131having sliding support upon transverse rails 132, 133 of the machineframe. A pair of folding rollers 135, 136 is journaled in said framebars 130131 and geared together at 137 driven by miter gear 138, 139,the latter of which is adjustably splined upon the driving shaft 1tO.The rails 132, 133 carrying rack bars with which mesh the gear wheels14-6 keyed upon a shaft 1A7 journaled in depending brackets 148 of framebars 13013l. The shaft 147 carries at its outer end a hand-wheel 1 19 bywhich the second fold mechanism can be adjusted transversely of themachine. A bracket arm 150 projects from the frame bar 131 intoengagement with the hub of the driving gear 139 to shift said gear uponthe shaft 140 with the second fold folding mechanism. Clo-operating witheach pair of second fold rollers 135, 136 is a folding knife mountedupon arm 156 extending from rock shaft 157 suitably journaled in. theframe bars 130131. A rock arm 158 is adjustably mounted upon the shaft157 and carries an anti-friction roller 159 operating in peripheralengagement with a cam 160 011 transverse shaft 161 suitably journaled inthe machine frame adjacent to the rear. The relation between arms 156and 158 upon shaft 157 can be adjusted to produce the desired result.

Sheets from the first fold mechanism are arrested by suitable gauges(not shown) above the second fold rollers. The position of these secondfold rollers is adjusted to present them in the desiredline of secondfold upon the sheets, which can be accurately arranged because thesecond fold is at right angles to the first fold and is, therefore,accurately determined in conjunction with the side register of the firstfold mechanism.

The twice folded sheets are passed by the usual arrangement of tapesfrom the two sets of second. fold rollers in parallel planes to positionabove the third fold mechanism, the arresting gauge for which can beraised to permit the twice folded sheets to successively pass out at oneside of the machine as eight page signatures, or which can a1- rest saidtwice folded sheets above the third fold mechanism to be successivelyfolded into sixteen page signatures or to be folded together as insertedthirty-two page signatures, or which can be operated to arrest alternatefolded sheets and permit the passage of the others, thereby producingsixteen page signatures of one job and eight page signatures of theother job. Cooperating with this delivery and third fold mechanism is asuitable heading-up device for accurately gauging the twice foldedsheets above the third fold mechanism. These mechanisms will now bedescribed.

Referring particularly to Figs. 7 and 7 it will be observed that aseries of horizontal conveyor tapes 165 pass beneath the lefthand secondfold rollers 135, 136 from the adjustable spacing and tightening pulleys166, 167 to the tape rollers 168, 169 and 170 at the delivery end of themachine. One of these tapes nearest the rear end of the folding machineis made shorter than the others and is passed around the angularlyarranged supporting and spacing pulleys 171, 172, this provision of ashort tape at this rear edge of the path of sheets from said second foldmechanism being for the purpose of preventing interference between theheader-up devices hereinafter explained and the conveyor tapes. A secondset of con veyor tapes 175 passes beneath the righthand second foldrollers 135, 136 from the spacing and tightening pulleys 17 6, 177around the tape rollers 178, 179 and 180. The two sets of conveyor tapes165 and 175 are designed to carry the twice folded sheets from the twosets of second fold rollers into position to be folded by the third foldmechanism or to be delivered from the machine beyond said third foldmechanism. Friction rollers 185 carried by arms 186 ex tending from therock shaft 187 peripherally engage the tape roller 168 between tapes 175and assist in conveying the twice folded sheets upon tapes 165 beneaththe deflector 188, the sheets being then guided downwardly by the bars189 into the bite of the pressure and delivery rollers 190, whichdeposit the twice folded sheets into any suitable receptacle such asindicated at 191. Rock shaft 187 is suitably journalled in the machineframe and provided with a rearwardly projecting arm 195 which issupported in the path of a pin 196 carried by the verticallyreciprocating carriage 225 of the third fold gauge and header-upmechanism. This arrangement is such that when the carriage 225 islowered, the rollers 185 will be supported out of contact with the taperoller 168 to permit the passage of sheets upon tapes 1(5, whereas whensaid carriage 225 is raised, rollers185 will move by gravity intooperative relation with said tape roller 168.

The tape pulleys 171 and 172, above referred to, are journalled in abracket 171 carried by a horizontal plate 17 3 projecting from andsupported by a flanged plate 174- adjustably mounted upon the machineside frame. A rod 181 supported by bracket 182 upon plate 174 bridgesthe gap between roller 170 and pulley 171.

192 are friction rollers carried by arm 193 projecting from a. freelymounted rock shaft 194 journalled in the machine frame, said rollers 192being held by gravity in peripheral engagement with the tape roller 178of the upper set of conveyor tapes 175;

planes of the delivery tapes 165 and 175. Di-

rectly beneath the third fold rollers are the delivery rollers 205,which pass signatures from the third fold mechanism to the packingbox215. 206 is a third fold knife mounted upon rocking arm 207 projectingfrom rock shaft 208 from which projects a rock arm 209 carrying ananti-friction roller 210 operated upon by the cam 211 mounted upon shaft161.

220 is the third fold gauge projecting at right angles to the plane offeed of tapes 165, 175 and movable vertically with relation to saidtapes to either intercept folded sheets upon the tapes in properrelation to the third fold mechanism, or to permit sheets to pass underit for delivery as twice folded sheets in the manner above referred to.The

mounting and operation of the third fold gauge will now be described.

225 is a vertically rec1procat1ng block'or carriage having formed in oneface a ver-' tical guide channel 225 fitting upon the vertical trackbar226 having the angular sup porting flange 227 at top which is rigidlysecured to the machine side frame by set screws 228. The retainingplates 229 are secured to the face of block- 225 to project over thetrack bar 226 and confine block 225 upon the track bar with freedom ofmotion up and down upon the track bar.

A pitman 230 is pivotally connected with block 225 at 231 and formedwith a guide yoke 232 at its lower end which straddles and guides uponshaft 161 alongside of cam 233. The pitman also carries an anti-frictionroller 234 which operates upon the periphery of cam 233. The block 225is in termittently raised and lowered upon its track bar 226 by theaction of the cam and pitman.

The block or carriage 225 is provided with a rigid arm 235 whichprojects horizontally parallel with the machine. side frames and isdetachably secured to a plate 236 by means of removable T-screws 237.The plate 236 has detachably and adjustably secured to it i the thirdfold gauge plate 220 by means of the yoke 238 engaging rod 220 of thegauge and adjustably secured to plate 236 by T- screws 239, one of whichprojects through acurved slot in the flange of yoke 238. The plate 236projects beyond the yoke 238 and 'moves freely in an open U-shaped guidebracket 240 secured to the machine side frame. The projecting guide endof plate 226 and bottom wall of bracket 240 both have holes drilledthrough them, the hole in the latter being threaded to receive ashouldered T-screw 241 which, under certain conditions, securely clampsthe plate 236 to bracket 240 to support gauge 220 from said bracket 240in fixed position; it being understood that at such times the plate 236is released from arm 235 by the removal of T-screws 237. This conditionand its purpose will be hereinafter explained.

The vertically movable block or carriage 225 is formed on its inwardlypresented face with a horizontal guideway 345 in which is reciprocablymounted a slide or block 346 retained by guide plates 347 secured tomember 225. The slide 346 is connected through link 348 with arm 349 ofa bell-crank lever pivoted to the machine frame at 350 and havinganother arm 351 provided with anti friction roller 352, which operatesin peripheral contact with a cam 353 mounted upon shaft 161. A springdevice (not shown) engages heel 354 of the bell-crank lever 349 351 toyieldingly cause it to follow the cam 353.

The horizontally reciprocating slide 346 has rigidly attached to itsside face an outwardly and downwardly projecting arm 355 which carriesin its lower end the square guide rod 356 and the threaded rod 357 whichare both rigidly mounted parallel to third fold gauge plate 220. Two gaue sup porting blocks 358, 359 are formed with transverse guideways orchannels fitting the guide rod 356 upon which they reciprocate.

Blocks 358, 359 have arms 358 359 respectively, which freely straddlethe screw rod 357 upon which are mounted two sets of adjusting nuts 358and 359 threaded upon rod 357 upon opposite sides of arms 358"? and 359,by which the gauge blocks 358 and 359 can be independently adjustedinwardly and outwardly upon rod The block 358 has a gauging blade orkicker 358 and the block 359 has a ganging blade or kicker 359. Thesekickers 358 and 359 are presented to register sheets in parallelhorizontal planes, one being above the other, and are so shaped thatthey can be adjusted to bring their gauging faces into parallel verticalplanes or in the same vertical plane, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of thedrawings.

It will be understood that in the operation. of the third fold kickerregistering mechanism that the kicker blades 358 and 359 are alternatelyraised and lowered into and 358 acts upon sheets carried by the tapes165 from the left-hand second fold mechanism, this position beingindicated in Figs.

11 and 12 of the drawings; and when the kickers are in lowered positionthe upper blade 359 acts upon sheets carried by the upper set of tapes175 from the right-hand second fold mechanism, this latter positionbeing shown in Figs. 13 and 15 of the drawings, in which case kickerthat plane.

WVhen the machine is operating to produce eight page signatures in eachof two simultaneous jobs, the third fold gauge 220 is removed by takingout T-scr'ews 237 as shown in Fig. 15 of the drawings. In thisoperation, the lowered position of carriage 225 holds rollers 185elevated for the passage of sheets on conveyor tapes 17 5, while theraised position of carriage 225 permits the lowering of rollers 185 toassist passage of sheets upon tapes 165 around-roller 168.

If it is desired to produce eight page signatures for one job andsixteen page signatures for another job in the same operation, the thirdfold gauge 220 is in position upon carriage 225, as shown in Fig. 11 ofthe drawings, the timing of the controlling ca n being such that thegauge 220 will be held in elevated position for the passage of the twicefolded sheets upon tapes 165 to the delivery in receptacle 191 and willbe alternately low ered to intercept sheets upon tapes 5, which are tobe passed through the tlnrd fold mechanism and delivered as sixteen pagesignatures in the packing box 215.

When it is desired to produce sixteen page signatures for both of thesimultaneously performed jobs, the arm 235 is disconnected from theplate 236 by the removal of the T- screws 237 and the gauging blademounted in fixed relation to intercept the twice folded sheets from bothof the second foldinechanisins by fastening the plate 236 in the bracket240 by means of the T-screw 241, as illustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and 17of the drawings. 7

Fig. 12 shows the kicker blades elevated in the position in which theblade 358": will register a sheet upon the lower set of tapes 165, whileFig. 13 shows the kicker 358 is below blades in lowered position inwhich the blade panying drawings since it is obvious that it can beaccomplished by means well known in the art and the specific form ofsuch means is not essential to the invention herein claimed.

The improved machine may be operated with the single bladed first foldknife 3 and the pair of one-piece first fold bars 115 hereinbeforereferred to when operating upon singly fed sheets or upon sheets fedsimultaneously side by side when the stock of the doubly fed sheets doesnot differ materially in character. It is sometimes desirable. however,to perform two jobs simultane ously upon sheets of materially differentstock so that adjustments of the first fold folding mechanism suitablefor one character of stock will not produce the best results for adifferent character of stock. To over-- come this difficulty so that themachine will be suitable for operation upon two jobs simultaneously ofwidely different stock, I prefer to provide the first fold mechanismwith a sectional knife and sectional folding bars divided in the centralvertical longitudinal plane of the machine, so that the in dividualsections of the knife and folling bars can be independently adjusted tosuit the requirements of the particular job which they are to operateupon. These modifications of the first fold mechanism of the machine areillustrated in Figs. 20 to 23 of the drawings and will now be describedin detail.

In place of the single piece knife above referred to as mounted upon therock arms carried by shaft 5, a rigid angle iron bar 400 attached to theends of rock arms t by means of bolts passing through perforations .1.01and a sectional or two-piece blade or knife 405, 1-06 is secured torigid bar 400 by means of clamping bolts 4-02 passing throughperforations in the knife sections and the vertical flange of bar 400,the per forations in one of these members being circular while in theother they are elongated slots to permit of the vertical adjustment ofthe knife sections upon the supporting bar. Thumb screws 4:03 passfreely through the horizontal fiange of bar 400 and. are threaded intothe angular backing flange do l of the knife sections, so that byloosening clamping bars 402 and rotating thumb screws 403, the sectionalknife blades can be independently adjusted upon their supporting bar. Bythis means each end of each knife section can be independentlypositioned so as to accurately present the knife edge at the requiredangle to properly strike the sheets through the folding bars androllers.

In this modification the folding bars 115 are replaced by two pairs orsets of folding bars L10 formed in their ends with elon gated slots L11engaged by clamping bolts 4:12 which are threaded into the machineframe. By this means each pair of folding bars can be accuratelyadjusted above its half of the first fold rollers 1 and 2 to suit therequirement of the particular job which is to be passed through them.For instance, the character of the paper sheets that are to be foldedupon the left of the first fold mechanism may require the folding bars410 to be arranged relatively close together, while the character of thesheets to be passed through the right side of the first fold mechanismmay call for the adjustment of the folding bars 410 at a differentspacing.

It should be understood that the illustrations in Figs. 21 to 23 areintended as parts of the complete folding machine above described andthose claims referring to the first fold mechanism in a broad sense areintended to include the first fold mechanism as commonly constructed orin its sectional form as just described.

In double-16 folding machinery as heretofore constructed in which twosets of con veyor tapes lead respectively from. the two second foldmechanisms to the third fold mechanism, it has been necessary, in adapt?ing the machine to the production of eight page signatures, to entirelyremove from the machine the upper set of conveyor tapes and theseparator plates and their mountings and add to the set of second foldrollers, whose conveying tapes have been removed, proper deflectors fordirecting twice folded sheets to the remaining set of conveyor tapes.Such a modified machine is seriously defective in folding thirty-twopage signatures consisting of two inserted sixteen page signatures,(this inserting being done at the third fold) because of the absenceofthe upper set of tapes and the haphazard dependence for registration ofrunning one signature above the other upon the remaining set of tapes. 7

The recited difliculty has been overcome in the machine of the presentinvention by rearranging the mounting of the separator bladesbetween-the upper and lower conveyor tapes, so that the machine can beoperated for producing eight page signatures with out ren'ioving theupper set of tapes or the separators. In the improved machine theseparator blades are mounted upon a deflector bar supported only at itsends upon the machine frame in the horizontal plane between the upperand lower setsof conveyor tapes. The deflector bar directs downwardlythe eight page signatures carried by the lower conveyor tapes and beingsupported entirely outside of the path of signatures upon both conveyorsand below the plane of the upper conveyor tapes, there will be nointerference with the free passage of eight page signatures upon eitherconveyor. This novel mounting of the separator plates and theirsupporting deflector bar entirely obviates the above noted difficultyand enables the operator to satisfactorily produce eight page signaturesby passing them over the third fold mechanism without arresting them,or, by proper setting of the gauges, the same machine can also beemployed for accurately producing sixteen page signatures or insertedthirtytwo page signatures. The new arrangement permits the retentionofboth sets of conveyor tapes and the separator blades so that thesignatures from both sets of second fold rollers can be independentlyand accurately gauged at the third fold station.

In the common arrangement of the two parallel sets of conveyor tapesleading from the two second fold mechanisms, it is usual to provide agreater number of tapes in the lower conveyor extending from the secondfold mechanism furthest away from the third fold mechanism, than in theupper conveyor which leads from the second fold mechanism nearest thethird fold mechanism. These conveyors are commonly pro vided with fourtapes in the lower conveyor and only two tapes in the upper conveyor, itbeing understood that the edges of the twice folded sheets from thenearer second fold mechanism are supported by the outer tapes of thelower conveyor or by the twice folded sheets from the far second foldmechanism, depending upon whether the signatures are being foldedseparately or are being inserted. With reference to this arrangement ofconveyors the proposed new mounting of the separator plates includes asheet metal plate attached to the deflector bar and formed with twohorizontal projecting tapered blades having curved side edges, with theseparator plates rigidly secured to the small end of these taperedblades. The purpose of this structure is to provide gradually wideningseparator plates with gently curved edges to lift the edges of the twicefolded sheets into the plane of the upper conveyor as they pass beyondthe third fold mechanism to be delivered as eight page signatures.

This new arrangement of separator plates is shown particularly in Figs.7 and 8 of the drawings, in which the broad sheet metal plate 188 isrigidly mounted upon the de flector bar 188 and extends horizontallyfrom its support in the plane separating the two sets of conveyors 165,175. This plate 188 has gently curved lateral edges 188 and is centrallydivided into two tapering blades 188 having gently curved inner edges188 The effect of this shaping of plate 188 is to form two spacedtapered portions upon the narrow ends of which the separator bladesproper 188 are mounted and thereby supported in the horizontal planebetween the two sets of conveyor tapes directly beneath the two tapeswhich usually constitute the upper conveyor 175. It will be noted thatthe support for the deflector bar 188, upon which the separator bladesare mounted, is upon the machine to which the ends of the bar areattached, which points of attachment are entirely outside of the pathsof signatures upon the two conveyors, so that there is no obstruction tothe passage of eight page signatures from either conveyor. The curvededges of the divided plate 188 gradually raise the edges of thesignatures to the plane of the plate as they pass on conveyor 175 to thedelivery.

When operating upon two jobs of different sizes of sheets, it isdesirable to provide means for separately registering the differentsizes of twice folded sheets at the third fold station. This isimportant either for the purpose of insuring the proper delivery andpacking of the different size signatures delivered from the third foldmechanism to the packing boX, or in case the signatures or one of themare passed from the third fold mechanism to a fourth fold mechanism,(not shown). To accomplish this independent gauging of twice foldedsignatures at the third fold station, I provide the third fold gaugewith auxiliary gauges in the form of clips 425 which are adjustablymountedupon the third fold gauge by bolts 426, so as to projectdownwardly behind the gauge and present upwardly turned gauge lips orflanges 427 that project across the path of twice folded sheets when thegauge carrying frame is in raised position and which are presented belowthe path of sheets when the gauge frame is lowered for presentation tothe main third fold gauge. These auxiliary gauging members areadjustable upon the main gauge in the path of sheets, as shown in Figs.13', lt and 14:.

I would have it understood that it is not intended to limit thehereinafter recited claims to any particular type or style of sheetfolding machine, the sectional feeding, folding and gauging mechanismsset forth being applicable to many different forms of folding machinerywithout respect to the number of folds or the parallel or right anglerelations of the respective folds.

I claim:

1. In a folding machine, the combination of two sets of second foldfolding mechanisms, means for simultaneously supplyin once folded sheetsto both of said second fold mechanisms, a third fold mechanism, twoparallel conveyors leading respectively from said second fold mechanismsto and past said third fold mechanism, a third fold gauge movable intoand out of position to arrest sheets upon said parallel conveyors, andthird fold registry devices, whereby ceive folded sheets from said firstfold mech-' anism, a third fold mechanism, two parallel conveyorsleading respectively from said second fold mechanisms to and past saidthird fold mechanism, a third fold gauge movable into and out ofposition to arrest sheets upon said parallel conveyors, and third foldregistry devices, whereby two sheets can be simultaneously folded anddelivered one as an eight and one as a sixteen page signature.

3. In a folding machine, the combination of first fold foldingmechanism, means for feeding sheets to said first fold mechanism, twosets of independently adjustable end gauges for arresting sheets at thefirst fold station, means for coupling said end gauges into a singlegauge, means for side registering sheets at the first fold station, twosets of second fold folding mechanisms arranged to receive folded sheetsfrom said first fold mechanism, a third fold mechanism, two parallelconveyors leading respectively from said second fold mechanisms to andpast said third fold mechanism, a third fold gauge movable into and outof position to arrest sheets upon said parallel conveyors, and thirdfold registry devices, whereby single large sheets or two side by sidesheets can be folded and delivered one as an eight and the other as asixteen page signature.

4:. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,and a sheet gauge, with sectional feeding mechanism, adjustable meanscoupling the sections or units of said feeding mechanism, and operatingmechanism, whereby said sectional feeding mechanism may be operated as asingle mechanism or as independent units.

5. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding1I18Ch2tnlSl1'l,a11d suitable sheet gauging mechanism, with sheetfeeding means comprising a lowerfeed roller, two groups of cooperatingdrop rollers, means for operating said drop rollers, and means foradjusting one group of said drop rollers with relation to the other,whereby said drop rollers may be caused to act either simultaneously orindependently.

6. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,and sheet positioning gauges, with a drop roller feeding mechanismcomprising a lowerfeed roller, a sectional rock shaft, two sets of droprollers mounted upon said rock shaft sections, means adjustably couplingthe shaft sections, and means for operating salol rock shaft.

7. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,and sheet positioning gauges, with a drop roller feeding mechanismcomprising a lower feed roller, a sectional drop roller rock shaft, rockarms upon each section of said rock shaft, drop rollers journalled inthe rock arms of each shaft section, adjustable means coupling the shaftsections adapted to effect circumferential adjustment between the shaftsections, and means for operating said composite rock shaft.

8. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,and suitable feeding mechanism, with a sectional end gauge, independentadjusting devices for the separate sections or units of said gauge,detachable means for joining said sections or units into a single gauge,and means for coupling said independent adjusting devices.

9. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,and suitable feeding mechanism, with a sectional end gauge, a pair ofadjusting screws for each section or unit of said gauge, one of eachpair of said screws being detachably mounted, an independenthand-operated shaft geared to each pair of screws, detachable means forjoining said sections or units into a single gauge, and means forcoupling said independent hand-operated shafts.

10. Ina folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,sheet gauging devices and sheet feeding devices, with a sectional rockshaft, independent slowdown devices on the respective rock shaft'sections, and independent means for operatmg each of said shaftsections.

11. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable foldingmechanism,suitable feed- 111g mechamsm, and suitable end gauging mechanism, wlt-htwo transversely arranged reciprocating bars, means operatively en-.

gaging the inner adjacent ends of said bars to cause them to reciprocateoppositely, and independent side registering device mounted upon each ofsaid bars, and operatingmeans acting upon one of said bars.

12. In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding mechanism,suitable feeding mechanism, and suitable end gauging mechanism, two barsarranged in alignment transversely of the machine, racks upon the inneradjacent ends of said bars, a

gear interposed between and intermeshing with said racks, a sideregisteringv device mounted upon each of said bars, and means forimparting reciprocating motion to said bars.

18. The combination'with suitable folding mechanism, and a suitablesheet conveyor extending to and beyond said folding mechanism, with areciprocating carriage, a gauge plate detachably mounted upon saidreciprocating carriage, and means for supporting said detachable gaugeplate in fixed position with relation to said conveyor and foldingmechanism.

14. The combination with suitable folding mechanism, and a suitablesheet conveyor extending to and beyond said folding mechanism, with aside registering device, a reciprocating' carriage, an end ange platedetachably mounted upon saic reciprocating carriage, and means forsupporting said detachable gauge plate in fixed position with relationto said conveyor and folding mechanism.

15. The combination with suitable folding mechanism, and sheet feedingtapes extending parallel with and beyond said folding mechanism, with acarriage movable erpendicularlyto the plane of feed of salt tapes, anend gauge detachably mounted upon said carriage, a fixed bracket, anddetachable means for securing said end gauge to said fixed bracket ingauging relation to said folding mechanism and feeding tapes.

16. The combination with suitable folding mechanism, and sheet feedingtapes extending parallel with and beyond said fold-v ing mechanism, witha carriage movable perpendicularly to the plane offeed of said tapes, anend gauge detachably mounted upon said carriage, a fixed bracket, andside registering means mounted upon saidv carriage. f 17: Thecombination with suitable folding mechanism, of means for conveyingsheets in two parallel planes to said folding mechamsm, means forarresting sheets, and a two-part kicker gauge movable parallel with andperpendicularly to the sheet lanes. 18. The combination with suitablefolding mechanism, of means for conveying sheets in two parallel planesto said folding mechanism, means for arresting sheets, and a twopart kcker gauge movable parallel with and perpendicularly to the sheetplanes, the two kicker parts being independently adustable in orparallel with the sheet planes. 19. The combination with suitablefolding mechanism, of means for conveying sheets 1n two parallel planesto said folding mechanism, a carriage movable perpendicularly to theplane of movement of sheets, an end gauge mounted upon said carriage forarresting sheets, and a side registering gauge mounted upon saidcarriage and movable thereon in the plane of movement of sheets.

20. The combination with suitable folding mechanism, of means forconveying sheets in two parallel planes to said folding mechanism, acarriage movable PEIPQIKllOH larly to the plane of movement of sheets.an

of suitable foldin end gauge mounted upon said carriage for arrestingsheets, a slide reciprocably mount? ed upon said carriage to move in theplane of movement of sheets, an arm carried by said slide and aregistering member adjustably mounted upon said arm.

21. The combination with suitable folding mechanism, of means forconveying sheets in two parallel planes to said folding mechanism, acarriage movable perpendicularly to the plane of movement of sheets, anend gauge mounted upon said carriage for arresting sheets, and a twopart registering gauge'mounted upon said carriage and movable' thereonin the plane of sheets.

22 The combination with suitable folding mechanism, of means forconveying sheets in two parallel planes to said folding mechanism, acarriage movable perpendicularly to the plane of movement of sheets, anend gauge mounted upon said carriage for arresting sheets, a slidemounted upon said carriage to move parallel with the plane of movementof sheets, an arm projecting from said slid and two independentlyadjustable registering gauges mounted upon said arm.

23. The combination with suitable folding mechanism, of means forconveying sheets in two parallel planes to said folding mechanism, acarriage movable perpendicularly to the plane of movement of sheets, anend gauge nounted upon said carriage for arresting sheets, cam mechanismfor intermittently moving said carriage, a slide mounted upon saidcarriage and movable thereon parallel with the plane of movement ofsheets, a guide bar upon said'slide, two independently adjustableregistering gauges mounted upon said guide bar, and cam meichanism forintermittently moving said sli c.

with suitable folding rollers, of a sectional folding knife, andsectional folding bars mounted in operative relation to Said rollers andsectional folding knife, the sections or units of each folding bar beingindependently adjustable.

25, In a folding machine, the combination of suitable folding rollers, afolding knife, and sectional folding bars mounted in operative relationto said rollers and knife, the sections or units of each folding barbeing independently adjustable.

26. In a folding machine, the combination rollers, a folding knife, andparallel folding bars mounted in operative relation to said rollers andknife, each of said folding bars being formed of relatively adjustableunits or sections.

27, In a folding machine, the combination mechanism, two parallelconveyors leading respectively from sa d first two mentioned foldingmechanisms to and past the 24;. In a folding machine, the combination oftwo folding mechanisms, a third folding

